DINGHY racers dodged huge squalls on the estuary on Saturday as Leigh Sailing Club staged its GP14 dinghy open meeting.

Nine of the two-man dinghies arrived at the club to be greeted by an incoming tide as slightly nervous crews prepared their craft, with winds gusting to above Force 5.

During the pre-race briefing a squall blew down the river and crews began to wonder about conditions.

But luckily, by launch time the wind had eased a little.

And by the time for the first start a steady 24 knots was being recorded by the committee boat.

Just after the first start two boats retired as the conditions proved too much for crews.

The remaining seven boats carried on with Mark Wolf leading the first round from Steve Corbet.

A loose shackle stopped Corbet, letting James Ward through into second with Colin Walker taking the third place after three rounds.

Unusually for the GP fleet, spinnakers stayed firmly in the boat — rather than risk being flown because of the risk of capsize and damage.

After a short break six boats made the next start. The clouds were gathering and by the time the fleet were on the second reach visibility was reduced to about 50m and the wind hit 35 knots.

Thunder and lightening, heavy rain and horizontal hail proved that this was going to be a survival race rather than anything more tactical.

Wolf and Ward finished first with second place going to Steve Browne at the end of the three round course.

Only five boats started the last race. And for this the sun came out and the wind reduced to just 22 knots — allowing those who had rigged their boats correctly to fly spinnakers.

Wolf led the fleet round, passing the spinnakerless Steve Browne with James Ward in third place.